Apparatus for manufacture of car and similar wheels.



J. M. HANSEN. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF cAR AND SIMILAR WHEELS.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented June 8, 1915.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, 1912.

INVENTCR WITN ESSES.

ZJS, NLZZM/ MLW "HE NORRIS PETERS 60.. F'HOTD-LITHCL. WASHINGMN r r I J. M. HANSEN.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF cAR AND SIMILAR WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1|, 1912- r 1,142,419. Patented June 8, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG.4

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J. M. HANSEN.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF CAR AND SIMILAR WHEELS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1912.

1,142,41 9, Patented June 8, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D C.

JOHN M. HANSEN, or PITTSBIQIRGH, PENNsrLvA I AssIGNoRTo FORGED STEEL- WHEEL COMPANY, or JPITTSIBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF rnNN- SYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURE OF CAR AND SIMILAR ori inal application filed October 7, 1911, Serial No. 653,434. Divided and. this 1912. Serial No. 683,149.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN M. HANSEN, a

' citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Manufacture of Car and Similar Wheels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to. apparatus for the manufacture of forged steel car and similar wheels. 7

- It is a division of application for patent filed by me October 7 1911, Serial No. 653,434.

It is also generally an improvement in the apparatus illustrated and set forth in Letters Patent Nos. 866,020 to 866,026, granted to me Sept. 17 1907; and the apparatus is adapted for the practice of the method set forth in an application filed October 7 1911, Serial No. 653,435, which relates particularly' to forming said wheels by two successiveforging operations, while'said application, Serial No. 653,434 relates to the combination of dies for the practice of the two steps involved in said method application.

The present application relates particularly to certain improvements in the construction of the dies which may be utilized in other relations or in other die structures, for example: to the construction of the bottom dies; the construction of the top dies to provide for the removal of the piercing mandrel; and other improvements as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of the first. operation dies showing in dotted lines the position of the blank and the dies before the first forging stroke and in full lines the completion of said forging stroke; Fig. 2 illustrates a method of withdrawal of the blank after the first forging operation; Fig. 3 illustrates the position of the'blank as transferred to the second forging dies and before it is operated upon therein; Fig. 4 shows the preliminary movement of said dies and the operation of the same upon the blank; and

Specification of Letters Patent."

application filed March 11,

Fig. 5 shows the complete forging stroke: in

this second operation. 7

The present invention includes apparatus which may be employed in one or both operations. The transfer crane fortransferring the blanks is illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing at A, its gripping arms a being illustrated as gripping the blank when raised in the primary dies to transfer it to the finishing dies.

In the forming of large wheelsand like,

heavy forgings difficulty was found in maintaming the dies in proper condition where the dies were formed in one piece, while itwas found important to form some of the d1e parts contacting withthe metal of sperateme a June 8, 1915..

cial steels to resist the high heat, and to properly support such die parts. By mak ing them of small weight and section the special die parts could be substituted within the main carrying parts according to the different shapes, weights and sizes of wheels. For example in the dies of Figs. 1 and 2, above referred to as-the primary dies, itwill be seen that the bottom die 1 rests on the bed 2 and that resting on said bed is the bed ringB seated thereon by the shoulder 4,

and that in the top face of the bed and with V in said shoulder is the annular seat 5 in which-the bottom die 1 is seated, while resting on said bed and within the bottom die is thebottom hub die 6 fittingfaround the central recess 8 in the bed 2 in which the plunger 9 moves, said plunger carrying the plunger head 10 working within the hub die 6. To hold the hub die to its place the hot- 7 tom die 1 has the annular shoulder 7 fitting over the same. In the primary operation dies above the bottom die 1 is the ring die 11 fitting within the bed ring 3 which with said bottom die forms the bowl-shaped matrix for the primary forging operation.

of the bottom hub die is formed on an upward curve or incline from its bore, as at 12, and as shown in Fig. 1 the plunger is formed with a tapering upper face 13 with its top edge about on a line with the top edge of the bottom hub die, so leaving a space between the same into which the metal flows in the forging operation, forming on the blank a depending annular lip 14 fitting between the hub die and the plunger. Above the hub die the bottom die has the face 15 to form the outer face 16 of the hub, and beyond that the web forming face 17 and the seat 18 for the rudimentary rim 19. The ring die has a slightly flaring face 20 to form the outer face of the bowl-shaped blank. In the finishing dies the construction of these parts is substantially the same except that the ring die 11 is omitted as the rim forming die forms part of the reciprocating dies. For example, said finishing dies have the bed 21, the annular die holder 22, in which the bottom die 23 fits, the bottom die 24 being held in place around the central bore 25 in the same way and the plunger 26 passing upwardly through said hubforming die. The upwardly curved face 27- of the hub die and hub forming face 29 of the bottom die are made of the same shape as in the primary dies, and the upper part28 of the plunger is tapering along the same general lines as in the primary operation dies.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the blank is forged with its annular depending lip 14 and the bottom hub portion 30, and when raised by the central plunger from the matrix as shown in Fig. 2 it is quickly grasped by the tongs a and carried over to the finishing dies, as shown in Fig. 3, in which case the annular depending lip 14 and hub face 30 fit into the parts 27 and 29 of the hub die and bottom die of the finishing dies. In this way, as shown in Fig. 3, the blank produced by the primary dies is properly centered in the finishing dies, and in position for the final forging step; and it is to be noted that in this forging step after the reciprocating dies descend and spread out the blank to impart to the web the proper shape of dish, and to forge the hub to final shape, the piercing mandrel 26 in its upward piercing stroke first encounters the depending annular lip 14L of the blank and by the tapering or conoidal end 28 of the plunger forces the metal outwardly and insures the filling out of the lower portion of the hub against the face 29 of the bottom die. As it is then forced upwardly it also causes the metal to flow upwardly against the upper hub die 42 and shears off the extra metal against the shearing edge 43 of said upper hub die.

The upper reciprocating dies both in the primary and finishing sets correspond in some points to each other, the main reciprocating die of the primary die being secured to the main die head 36 and the hub die 31 being held between said main die and the die head while the plunger 37 is secured to the central die carrier 38 which is operated upon by the ram of the cylinder of the press. It will be noted that in this die there is the supplemental edging die 39 fitting around the upper part of the main die 35 and held between it and the die head. The maindie 35 engages with the web forming portion of the slab and forces the metal thereof inwardly, while the outer portion of the slab contacts with the ring die 11 so that the blank is bent into bowl form and this edging die 39 acts upon the top edge of the bowl shaped blank so formed and forces the metal thereof downwardly into the annular seat or depression 18, so forming the rudimentary rim portion 19 on the lower side of the web portion. lhe width of this edging die 39 is not as great as the space between the die 35 and the inner face of the die 11 so that there is a relatively small space beyond the outer edge of the die 39 into which the metal enters as hereafter described.

In the finishing dies the web bending die U 41 and the hub forming die 1-2 are secured to the die carrier and operated upon by the central plunger 44 while the rim forming die 45 is supported in the main die head 16, this rim forming die being in this case the main forging means and being operated under great power. It will be noted that in the primary operation space is left between the stationary ring die 11 and the edging die 39, permitting a relatively thick body of metal to flow up into the space between the same. This prevents the finning of the metal at this point, as if a thin fin were here formed it would be liable to chill quickly and be forced down into the body of the wheel in the second forging operation. Thus in the primary forging operation an annular thick rib 4:7 is formed, projecting above the edge of the bowl shaped blank. In the finishing dies it will be noticed that the rim forming die 45 has a recess 48 in position corresponding to this rib 47 on the bowl shaped blank of the first operation. As seen in Fig. 1- the outer bowl portion 49 is grasped on the inner face by the web forming die 41 and on the opposite side by the rim forming die 45 and this die 45 engages the outer upper edge of the bowlshaped blank and inrforcing the metal down receives the upward projecting rib 47 in the recess 48 and in the second forging operation this rib serves to center and hold the outer edge of the bowl-shaped blank while it produces on the finished wheel rim an annular rib 50 which insures the formation of an edge of solid metal free from crack or chill on the rim face and edge face of the finished wheel. Ihis rib can easily be removed at practically no expense in the subsequent turning of the wheel face which is the usual practice. It will also be-noticed that the rim forming die 45 has on the inner edge an annular rabbet 51. This permits the metal at the inner edge of the rim to flow up between the die 41 and the web forming die without finning, insuring the proper forging of this edge of the rim and this surplus metal may also be removed in the turning of the wheel, It will be noted that the face 52 of the bottom die and the face 53 of the web bending die are of shape I corresponding to the set of the web of the finished wheel. That is, the web portion of the slab as first forged is at a. greater incline than the dish required in the finished wheel, and as a first part of the finished operation the die 41 descends and spreads out the bowl-shaped blank so that itsweb portion 54 is brought to proper finished shape of dish and the outer bowl portion 49 is-forced into position to be grasped by the rim forming die 45. As the metal is thus held between the bottom die and the web finishing die the rim forming die descends and forms the finished rim on both sides of the web, as above described, this operation being aided by the formation of the rudimentary rim portion 19 so that the liability of the metal folding on itself at this point is overcome.

One serious problem in the operation of these dies was to remove the loose piercing heads 28 which, as above described, are forced upwardly through the hub portion of the wheel. To accomplish this I provide the central die carrier 40 with the central opening 49 in line with the bore 42 of the upper hub die 42, and provide this central die carrier with the side openings 56 which communicate with the transverse passage 57 in the main die head 46. When the two sets of dies are in the finishing position these side transverse passages 56 and 57 are in line, and as the piercing mandrels 28 with the surplus metal 53 removed by them are successively raised into line with this passage, they can be forced laterally out by means of a bar and so ejected from the machine.

By the apparatus above described I make practicable the formation of forged car wheels by two quick successive forging, operations at the same heat, and insure'the filling out of all the parts of the dies. These advantages are also obtained in the forging of any such like articles. I also assure the formation of rimmed Wheels and like arupper edge of the web portion in'the ticles without the folding of the meal by providing for the formation of the rudimentary rim iportion. extending belowthe primary operation dies so that liability of folding of the rim portion in the final forging dies is prevented; and I prevent the formation of thin fins in the first forging operation which'might develop folds of the metal and weak places in the finished article, by the carrying of thick portions above the real wheel body at points where thereis liability of such operation so that it can be subsequently removed in turning. I also provide for the filling out of all parts of the hub of the wheel and for the final ejection of the surplus metal together with the piercing mandrel and the withdrawal of such piercing mandrels from the press. I also so support the dies in thepress members that they are fully supported when in working position and makeit possible to use smaller die parts where they are subjected to special strains and'heats, and form the same of more expensive steel capable of withstanding high heats, while the remainder of the dies can be made of cheaper steel or iron, and I also provide for the quick replacement of such smaller die parts when necessary.

What I claim is:

V 1. In wheel forging apparatus, the combination of a bed, a bed ring supported and centered thereby, and series of dies supported on said bed and within said bed ring and forming the stationary dieface,

the same including a bottom die and a hub forming die held in place between the bot tom die and bed.

2. In wheel forging apparatus, the combination of a bed, a bed ring supported and centered thereby, and a series of dies. sup: ported on said bed and within said bed ring and forming the stationary die face, the same including a bottom die and a hub forming die held in place between the bottom die and bed, and a plunger Vertically movable within said, hub die.

3. In wheel forging apparatus, the combination of top and bottom dies, the top die having a hub die provided with a central bore'and a die carrier above the same having a receiving space in line with and above said bore, and a bottom plunger carrying a loose piercing head and adapted to force said head upwardly entirely through the wheel hub and deliver the same into the bore of said hub die and into said receiving space. i

4. In wheel forging apparatus, the combination of top and bottom dies, the top die having a hub die provided with a central bore, and a die carrier above the same having a space in line with said bore, a bottom plunger carrying a loose piercing head and In testimony whereof I, the said Jenn -M1 adapted to force said head upwardly HANSEN, have hereunto set my hand.

through the w 1681 hub and into the bore of JOHN HANSEN. said hub die, said die carrier having side Witnesses:

openings above the hub die through which ROBERT C. TOTTEN,

the heads can be laterally ejected. J. R. KELLER.

G'opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eaten'cs,

' Washington, D. 0'. 

